Laois Offaly TD wants to investigate 'value for money' of 'super junior' ministers including his constituency colleague

A Laois Offaly TD who will lead the Dáil's powerful public spending watchdog wants to investigate the return the taxpayer is getting from paying for three so-called 'super junior ministers' one of whom is a Green Party constituency colleague.

Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley emerged on Saturday as the new chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) following his appointment to the role by Mary Lou McDonald.

The committee has wide-ranging powers to investigate how the Government spends taxpayer's money.

In his first statement on his appointment, the Laois-based TD said he wants to investigate the 'value for money' of Ministers of State who sit at the Cabinet table with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar and other senior Government Ministers.

His constituency colleague and Minister of State Pippa Hacket is one of these super juniors.

"We should also be looking at whether there is value for taxpayer’s money in having 20 junior ministers, three super junior ministers, and 17 special advisors between the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Green Party Leader," he said.

Minster of State Hackett unsuccessfully contested the General Election in Laois Offaly where Dep Stanley topped the poll.

The Offaly based Senator got caught in the crossfire in recent days over the increase in public money allocated to cover the pay cost herself and two colleagues.

The Dáil passed laws last week to increase remuneration for three super junior minister. All three will now be entitled to allowances of €16,000.

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Fianna Fáil's Jack Chambers, who is the chief whip, Fine Gael's Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State for Roads,  are the other two eligible Ministers.

Under earlier legislation, only two super junior ministers were entitled to the allowance but the coalition decided to change this because there three.

Sinn Féin said the move was 'obscene' but Minister Simon Harris said there was a '"a real stench of hypocrisy" in this view.

Meanwhile, the Sunday Independent has reported that Green Party leader and Climate and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has eight special advisers, some earning up to €100,000.